Boyko And Rockets Get Payback

Talyn Boyko (Kelowna Rockets)

Friday night and eight New York Ranger prospects took to the ice with various results and outcomes. This is the time of the year where contracts can be earned or lost. And it is also time when you want to see the prospects stepping up their game. 

Last Sunday the Everett Silvertips ended the winning streaks of Talyn Boyko and his Kelowna Rocket team. A 6-2 spanking in Everett ended the Rocket's eight-game winning streak as well as Boyko's personal six-game winning streak. 

Friday night it was Everett who came in with an eight-game winning streak and it was Boyko and his Rockets who returned the favor earning a 4-3 shootout win. The game's third star, Boyko came up huge in the third and overtime periods while shutting out the Silvertips in the shootout.

Sorry but in my eyes the Rockets don't even get to overtime if not for Boyko's play in the third. The teams would trade goals over the first and second period but Kelowna's offense or lack of outside of the first period is why Boyko should have been the first star.

The Silvertips were the last ones to score in regulation with their goal coming at 11:42 of the second period. Boyko was so-so up that point surrendering three goals on 15 shots but after the Everett's third goal, a different Boyko played. 

In the third, Boyko stopped all 12 shots that he faced then as the Kelowna offense became more inept, Boyko got better. Kelowna misfired on opportunity after opportunity especially in overtime. Despite having the better of the play and scoring chances, Kelowna could only manage one shot on goal.

Meanwhile Everett was getting their shots on net but Boyko was not letting anything get past him. Everett would get four shots on goal and each was an excellent chance that somehow Boyko stopped. 

In the shootout, Boyko stopped all three Everett shooters for his first shootout win in three tries this season. And the Kelowna folks were calling this the team's biggest win of the season with good reason.

ROCKETS WIN!!!!! pic.twitter.com/iE3AU8rqRL

— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) February 12, 2022

With the win Boyko improves to 18-12-2-1 with a goals against of 3.07 and a save percentage of 0.909.  His 18 wins are sixth best among WHL goalies and remember that Boyko started this season with a 1-6-1 record so he is 17-6-1-1 since joining Kelowna.

Brennan Othmann (OHL Images)

Brennan Othmann and his Flint Firebirds needed overtime to knock off the Guelph Storm 5-4. It was another wild game for the Firebirds as this time they rallied from down 3-0 after the first period to earn the win. 

Othmann had two secondary assists to extend his scoring streak to four games (2-4-6) and 10 of his last 11 games (8-11-20) as the Firebirds won their fourth straight to take over first place in both the OHL's Eastern Conference and the West Division.

The first assist was part of Flint's comeback in the second period as it came on Flint's second goal. The other assist was on the game-tying goal which forced overtime. Othman was 0-2-2 on seven shots with a +2 and a minor for interference. 

The assists improved Othmann 31-29-60 which is seventh among OHL scoring leaders. The 31 goals are third in the OHL as Othmann continues his solid play.

Riley Hughes and his Northeastern Huskies kept their hopes alive to win the Hockey East regular-season title with a 4-2 win over current conference leader and 13th-ranked UMass-Lowell. Hughes had a primary assist on the Huskies' first goal as what was a defensive battle for two periods turned into a battle of survival.

Northeastern had limited UMass-Lowell to just 10 shots over the first two periods but UML dominated the third period outshooting the Huskies 17-4. The Huskies were able to limit UML to just one goal and that was why they won. 

Hughes was 0-1-1 on two shots and a +2 to improve his season numbers to 2-8-10. Northeastern's win improves them to 10-6-1-1 in Hockey East which puts them in fifth place after 17 games.

The Huskies are five points behind first-place UML but hold two games in hand. On Monday the Huskies will face Boston University in the Beanpot final, a game which can be seen on the NHL Network starting at 7:30 pm EDT.

In a matchup of Rangers prospect defensemen, junior Simon Kjellberg and his Rensselaer Engineers knocked off freshman Hank Kempf's Cornell Big Red 6-2. Kjellberg recorded two secondary assists in the second period to help his team turn a 1-2 to a 3-2 lead after two periods. 

Kempf was scoreless on three shots with a -1 as his Big Red extended their winless streak to six games (0-3-3). For Kjellberg, the two assists were part of a 0-2-2  night with two shots and a +1 as he improved to 5-14-19.

Ryder Korczak was limited to just one shot as his Moose Jaw Warriors defeated the Prince Albert Raiders 3-1. Korczak besides being scoreless was 10-6 on his faceoffs.

Matthew Rempe was scoreless as his Seattle Thunderbirds spotted the Victoria Royals a goal and then scored six unanswered to earn a 6-1 win. Rempe was credited with three shots and was 5-5 on his faceoffs.

Brody Lamb and his Green Bay Gamblers dropped a 3-1 decision to the Youngstown Phantoms in USHL action. Lamb was a -1 as he didn't record any other stats. 

Jayden Grubbe and his Red Deer Rebels were spanked 4-0 by the Edmonton Oil Kings in WHL action. Grubbe was limited to one shot and was a -1 while going 8-6 on faceoffs.

Did Not Play

Evan Vierling missed his fifth straight game for his Barrie Colts due to a shoulder injury.

Dylan Garand served as his team's backup goalie in his Kamloops Blazer's contest against the Tri-City Americans.